The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1887-05-05
MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS.
Personal Appearance of the Unfortunate
Rival OF Elizabeth.

| Personal Appearance of the Unfortunate
Rival OF Elizabeth.
Her complexion, though likened by
Brantome to alabaster and ivory, docs
not seem to have possessed the clear
ness and brilliancy which the compare
son implies; for Sir Jame, Melville,
| though anxious to vindicate his Queens
claim to be considered every lovely"
and ''the fairest lady in her country"
acknowledged that she was less
"white' than Elizabeth. The bright
ness of her eyes, which Brantome
likened to stars and Chastelard to bea-
cons, has not been questioned; but
their color is point about which there
is less unanimity, opinions varying be-
tween hazel and dark gray. As regards
her hair, the discrepancy of contem-
porary authorities is even greater.
Brantome and Ronsard describe a
wealth of golden hair, and this is to
certain extent confirmed by Sir James
Melville, who, when called upon by
Elizabeth to pronounce whether his
Queens hair was fairer than her own.
answered that "the fairnes of them
bath was not their worst faltes." To
this, however, must be opposed the
testimony of Nicholas White who,
writing to Cecil in 1868, described the
Queen as black haired. The explana-
ton of this may possibly lie in Mary's
compliance with the fashion, introduced
about this time, of wearing wigs. In
deed, Knollys informed White that she
wore chair of sundry colors, and, in a
letter to Cecil, praised the skill with
which Mary Seton-"the finest busker
of hair to be seen in any country" did
set such curled hair upon the Queen,
that was said to be a perewyke, that
showed very delcately."
According to one account, the Queen
of Scots wore black, according to an
other, auburn ringlets on the morning
of her execution. Both, however, agree
in this, that when the false covering
fell she appeared as gay as if she had
been sixty and ten years old"
Mary's hand was white, but not
small, the long, tapering fingers
mentioned by Brantome being, in
deed, characteristic of some OF her
portraits. She was of tall stature, tai
Ter than Elizabeth, which made the
Queen of England pronouce her cousin
to be too tall. she herself being, ac-
cording to her own standard, neither
too high nor too low Her voice Was
irresistibly soft and sweet Not only
does Brantome extol it as "trcs douce
ct tres bonne,n and Ronsard poetically
celebrate it as capable of moving rocks
and woods, but Knox, although un-
graciously and unwillingly, also testi-
ties to its charms. He. informs us that
at one of her Parliaments the Queen
made n ''paynted orison,' and that on
this occasion, ''thair mycht have been
hard among hir flatterias, 'Vox Dian@'
The voice of goddess (for it could
not be Dei) and not If a woman! God
save the sweet face! Was THAR ever
oratour spack so properlic and so
sweetlier'- GentiemaA's Aaaasine-
Il hear a good anecdote Of a rural
CONGRESSMAN whom you would all
recognize if should tell his name
saws n writer in the Philadelphia NeDs'
One day he was seen, in hot haste or
temper, TO rush bare-headed out OF the
i house and across the street, then turn
about and hasten toward the door
again. A man called out; Judge,
what's the matterP" "My wiie mas
gotta carpet Only carpet in town.
| Now I've got to SO to Cheshire 70